The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1887-04-20


quaintance at the publishers house. There
was no matron to encounter to be sure, for
Mr. Pennington was widower, but one
among the big army of little men down
town. had lost my sense of personal inn
portance. Yet there was Pussy smile, there
We're Pussy's eyes and Pussy shining braids
of hair; so somehow one evening, armed
with business question for the father,
boldly rang the bell and asked for Miss Pen
nington.
She came into the parlor and showed her
understanding of the situation by saying,
with proper gravity, ''Tm SO sorry papa is
OUT
Before went away that evening, very dis.
creetly, very early, if you please, Pussy and
| were established friends She was eighteen
years old her name was Priscilla. "Bui
you see," she explained, they began by
calling me Pussy, thinking I'd grow up tc
| the solemn Priscilla, then / never did grow
$50 Pussy is Pussy STILL" l finished out
the phrase for her.
"Ye-yes," and she laughed, but looked
rather scared as / pronounced her name sc
Familiarity, and yet with so capital an excuse
To tell the truth ! could feel a great heart
beat at my own daring.
/ found out what her tastes were, what
girls were her Every, very dearest friends, y
what young men were allowed to visit the
house and that she knew "Mr. Bell in papa;
Office
'What sort of fellow do you find him p
inquired with depreciating sneer.
"Oh, very nice" she answered in that
cheerful monotone that women use wher
they are particularly puzzling, Every nice
indeed
If anything could increase my dislike tc
Bell it was that Pussy should esteem him
And has he' / asked sarcastically, "any
particular spite against the human race that
ia hn Of haf 1p1
demon ?n
''oh," said Pussy impulsively and with
anxiety, do you think he looks SO very
badly; SO very unhappy?,'
Then he isn't happy, eh ~ And spoke
grimly enough, why isn't her"
"How should know?n exclaimed Pussy
in a sort of fright and striving to hide some
emotion. But the color would come surgine
into her delicate face and words could have
told me no palmer that had rival in Bell
Next day | expected nothing less than &c
be called to account by Pennington. But
the summons never came, and so after fort
night had passed in safety tried the delight.
full experiment of second visit.
From that time / called regularly every
week. becoming always more and more in
love with Pussy and confiding everything to
Ned Russell.
"Hahp' he would exclaim Indignantly
''if that rascal Bell hadn't got your M {
}
yourself Such romance as it wasi Full
of-full of-well, it was deep, by George
deepp'
My feelings toward Bell naturally grew
more and more bitter, as | heard his name
mentioned, from time to time, by Pussy. Al
last one evening we met. CHANGING in rather
early, | surprised him in close conversation
with Pussy, sitting next her ON the sofa. He
hardly greeted me, but left the house at once.
| don't know how | mastered my voice to
say: you and Mr.. Bell are old friends, il
seems"
"Oh, yes; rather old friends" she answered
indifferently.
stood that Pussy could not see Bell as l saw
him the snurly, sneaking scheming rogue.
AT any rate, her choice should be made with
open eyes, and resolved to make scheme
that must expose and unmask him. The
very next day I entered Bells office, walked
up to his desk and began curtly:
''Mr. Bell, where is my manuscript ?"
As usual, his head was on his hand and he
hardly stirred or looked up as he answered !:
~ m sure don't know
'Sir," said /, Though year has elapsed
am still determined to sift that yillainy. |
shall know who has robbed me. shall find
the thief; the thief, sir"
He smiled and slowly and quietly sur
yeyed me. Irritated past endurance Missed !:
"You' re a.
The door opened, Pennington appeared.
The word Coward was on my lips, but
some last glimmer of sanity saved me, and
flung out of the room.
Being in this overweight condition, l
could delay no longer to learn just how
Pussy stood with this fellow, and vowed to
go that very night and hear my doom from
her own lips. In the afternoon Ned Russell
found me, but in a state of fearful nervous
excitement. Somebody had loaned Ned a
turnout and he said:
ON tfs blu eelFa se'' te''9 drive and shake
| went gladly. The air and exercise were
soothing and pleasant, but as we were trot-
ting along smoothly on the Bloomingdale
road we met couple that was coming in
toward the city. Through idle curiosity |
CHANGED to look into the passing vehicle, and
there, hands Chased in hands, both oblivious
to the outside world, there-(although it's
over now--the shock, the hurt, long past-I
can live through the agony again)-there
were-Bell and my Pussy!
God help meln cried out cts all over,
Ned; all over! Take me home"
The good fellow took me home at once.
He had seen them, too, and in his own
fashion of solace he swore dire oaths of ven
geance, until begged him to go away and
let me fight it out alone. When evening
came / determined to see Pussy just once
more, to put aside my selfish claims and tell
her that if ever she needed friend, de
fender, a man to die for her, word or look
would bring me to her side | forgot to eat
dinner and entered her house looking very
pale and wild. Pussy stared up at me in
amazement. | began ABRUPTLY.
Il met you this afternoon, sothereis moth
ing to disguise"
HMet me?" she faltered; then coloring
deeply, added, ''With-with-Mr. BellT'
Eyes, alone in d close carriage, your hands
cIasped in his. OF course l know what to
think"
Pussy's lips began to CULVER, her eyes filled,
and burying her face in her hands she cried
bitterly, but very softly. | had seen her so
bright, SO happy, SO childlike that this re-
pressed grief touched me to the quick. i
forgot my own trouble. I saw only her fair
head bowed, her slight figure conyulsed with
anguish. Darling" l cried, flinging my
self on the sofa beside her, darling, you may
need friend some day.. when you do,
word and | am with you.''